Newspaper headlines have made us all aware of the fact that Courtney Lawes is the latest name to add a drawn British and Irish Lions Test Series to his already illustrious CV but did you know his is just the latest name to be added to a long list of homegrown Saints that donned the red jersey?
Starting his rugby at Northampton Old Scouts before joining with the Saints Academy, Lawes rose swiftly through the Northampton ranks and made his first team debut off the bench against Esher back in 2007. Now a 6-time capped Lion, 58-time capped England star and 192-time capped Saintsman, the 28-year-old's rise to fame is clear to see.
Becoming Lion #826 this summer, Lawes became the 13th homegrown Saint to don the red jersey, following in the footsteps of legends of the club Blair Swannell, Dickie Jeeps, David Powell and Matt Dawson.
Now 21 names long, the list of Saints Lions, that traverses 118 years, was left void of homegrown faces from 2005, with another Old Scout graduate Steve Thompson the last Academy graduate's name the last to populate it.
12 years of waiting ended this April when Lawes was named in the 2017 touring squad. Joining Hall of Famers Tim Rodber and Bob Taylor, Saints legends Bryan West, Martin Bayfield and Ian Hunter as well as fellow former Old Scout Ben Cohen as a Saints Academy Lion, the hard-hitting lock excelled and with two Test caps and a drawn Test Series to his name, will return to the Gardens both a local hero and Lions legend.
